Delphi Museum

Before we toured the Delphi site, we made a stop at the museum.  Isn't the above 2,500-year-old plate beautiful and so modern looking? Coincidentally, it's the piece the museum displays at the top of their website too!

Alexandra, our intrepid guide, gets us ready to tour the museum.

Delphi is a pagan site. The above slab is the only piece in the museum that has a connection to St. Paul. It is from a letter by the Roman Emperor Claudius to Lucius Junius Gallio, who was the proconsul of Achaia at the time of Paul's stay in Corinth. Remember when the proconsul dismissed the case against Paul in Corinth? That was Gallio.

The above bust from the 2nd or 3rd century AD has been narrowed down to Plutarch, Plotinus, or a philosopher from the Neoplatonic school. Take your pick.

These muscular twins with the dreadlocks, Kleobis and Biton, are from 580 BC, by the sculptor Polymedes of Argos. They were dedicated to the god Apollo at Delphi. The story goes that there mother was a priestess and they came to her aid by pulling her cart to the sanctuary of the goddess Hera when their mother's oxen couldn't be found. Their mother asked Hera to give her sons a reward. When the ceremony was over, Kleobis and Biton fell asleep, never to awake. Hera granted them the gift of a peaceful death.

A gold and ivory statue of Artemis, a gift brought to Delphi. 

Above, bits and pieces of other gifts to Apollo at Delphi.

The athlete Haggis in marble, 380 BC.

This is Aknonios, the head of a clan, who lived at the time of the Persian wars and served as a commander of Thessaly. I love the way he is standing.

Which way to the toga party?

The magnificent Charioteer of Delphi, a bronze statue from around 480 BC of a youth presenting his chariot and horses after his victory. It is one of the most important statues from ancient Greece. The young man faces the crowd with modesty and self control, important Greek virtues.

Look at the wonderful detail in his face.

Those feet--so real looking! 

Driving Through the Greek Mountains

Alexandra, the 206 Tour Guide who was with us the entire trip, told us that Greece is 80 percent mountainous. We were about to drive through a big swath of it.

Alexandra also told us that in America police officers and fire fighters are the heroes. In Greece bus drivers are the heroes. As our pilgrimage went on from the busy city streets of Athens to the steep winding mountain roads, we definitely found that to be the case. All Hail, Bus Drivers of Greece!

Each day on the bus we would pray the Rosary together.

As we headed up the mountain roads toward Delphi, we noticed churches like the ones above with increasing frequency on the side of the road. Much like we put crosses or flowers by the roads in the United States near where people have lost their lives in car accidents, the Greeks put churches.

I like being on a tour for many reason, one of which is that all of the details are taken care of: we have name tags, we are told when to get up, when we will eat, when to get on and off the bus, where we are staying. We are told how long our bathroom breaks will be. It's a little like preschool! At the time I went on this pilgrimage, I was happy to have this level of temporary control in my life. We even counted off when we got on the bus to ensure everyone was present! A couple of our pilgrims were only with us for part of the trip, so someone assumed their numbers when counting off after they left. I was number 11. You can watch and listen to the process in the video above!

The town of Cryso.

We just passed through Cryso on the way to Delphi. It is so picturesque and looks like it would be worth its own visit. Next time.

I'm including photos of drives from different days. Here we are coming out of the mountains.

Alexandra told us that people measure their land not by acres but by trees on the property. "We have 30,000 trees." Above is one of the most ancient olive groves in Greece. There are more than 600 types of olives. Olive oil has many uses. Alexandra told us that if people have a sore part of their body, they will rub olive oil on it.

The goats on one side.

The sheep on another.

Sometimes together. Delphi up next.